1. Field of the Invention/Technical Field
The present invention is in the technical field of Electricity: Electrical Systems And Devices. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of control circuits for electromagnetic devices.
2. Description of Related Art/Background Art
Present patents describe the use of gravity, magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic, or other artificial fields to remove voids in via (heated vias) holes in integrated circuits using magnetic repulsion (Linliu and Kung, 1999), to attract magnetic objects (Wing, 1996), and to maintain or connect satellite orbits about the moon with the assistance of the moon's gravitational pull (i.e. after the satellite has been placed in orbit . . . ) (Dulek, 1996). Patents for magnetic fields describe the use of such fields to move electrodes within closed vessels or tubes filled with a physiologic saline (Takeda, et al., 1999), to stably suspend in a non-contacting manner, by the combination of high temperature superconductor and a ferromagnetic member (Higuchi, et al., 1999), to at least compensate for the earth's magnetic field in at least two fields and an excitable coil to compensate for the component of the earth's magnetic field in the third direction (De Wit, et al., 1999), and to deflect charged species produced by a laser beam (Radhakrishnan, Gouri, 1999). McDaniel, et al. (1980) describe the use of magnetic fields to repel or attract permanent magnets in specially configured, non magnetic material as a part of a game used for entertainment purposes. Patents for magnetic fields also describe the use of magnetic fields to detect magnetic field mines (Bomhofft and Irenkler, 1986).
As referenced in the priority application Ser. No. 11/827,433, patents for electrical fields describe the use of electrical fields to align and rotate electrically and optically anisotropic spheroidal balls in a substrate (Sheridon, 1998). Criswell (1993) describes the use of lasers or electromagnetic fields to energize the propellant trail of a rocket for combustion. Kare (1992) describes the use of a focused (using focusing mirrors) laser or electromagnetic energy to break down air or other fluids creating plasma. The plasma, which has absorbed energy from the laser, grows in volume and provides thrust.
Coffey (1993) does not claim or include the elevation and sustaining the elevation of an object at a single x, y, z coordinate or position as does the present invention. Also, Coffey claims a repelling device and a repelled vehicle parallel to each other to generate a repulsive force between the guideway and the magnetic devices. In the present invention, the repelled object is positioned above the repelling object surface. In the present invention, the repelled object is position vertically at an approximate ninety degree angle relative to the surface of the repelling surface.
Also, Coffey claims a plurality of propulsion windings affixed to a support structure connected to a power source and used to generate a vehicle repulsive force to propel a vehicle along a roadbed support structure. The present invention does not claim a plurality of propulsion windings affixed to a support structure connected to a power source and used to generate a vehicle repulsive force to propel a vehicle along a roadbed support structure. The phrase “ . . . to propel a vehicle along a road support structure . . . ” suggests a horizontal type movement of the vehicle. The propelling, repelling motion of the repelled object in the present invention is vertical.
Similarly, Coffey describes a vehicle that may be advanced over a guideway by propeller, jet, rocket, or other suitable propulsion means. In the present invention, the object is vertically transported as opposed to horizontal transport as described by Coffey. The present invention does not describe the use of a propeller, jet, rocket, or other suitable propulsion means.
Furthermore, Coffey describes a vehicle positioned between the repulsion generating source and the repelling source. In the present invention, the elevated object is not positioned between the repulsion generating source and the repelling source. In the present invention, the object is positioned above the repelling source.
Finally, Coffey describes the magnet 16 as being “confined” within the guideway structure by LSM 20. Such confinement restricts the vertical movement of the vehicle described by Coffey. In the present invention, there is no confinement that restricts the vertical movement of the elevated object.
The first statement in the Lovell patent is “This invention relates to an electromagnet for attracting non-magnetic conducting bodies as well as magnetic bodies”. Lovell also states in the first section of the patent “A further object resides in the fixing one closed conductor firmly to a structure of the field producing means to provide an electromagnet which will attract and hold a closed conductor even though it is non-magnetic and at some distance from the field producing means”. The present invention does not claim or describe a magnetic or electromagnetic attractive means for transporting, elevating, or moving objects. Lovell disclosed that electromagnets are well known to be used to be manipulated by magnetic and electromagnetic attraction. The present invention discloses electromagnets used to manipulate, and be manipulated by electromagnetic repulsion only. Lovell claims “an electromagnet, a closed conductor, an armature of non-magnetic conducting material adjacent thereto, . . . the armature being of such size and shape and so positioned as to be attracted to the closed conductor by electromagnetic flux forces”. The present invention claims a means to elevate and manipulate objects using repulsive electromagnetic forces. Lovell claims “ . . . said armature being so dimensioned with respect to the resultant field as to be held to the magnet by attracting electromagnet forces”. Lovell claims “ . . . an armature of non-magnetic conducting material adhering to said secondary by attracting electromagnetic forces arising from current circulated within the armature by induction”. Lovell claims “ . . . an armature of non-magnetic conducting material disposed in the resultant field, said armature being so dimensioned and so positioned in the resultant field that the armature is attracted axially toward the electromagnet”. The present invention does not claim an armature of non-magnetic conducting material. The present does not claim any degree of attractive forces for the elevation and manipulation of electromagnetic objects. Lovell claims “An alternating current electromagnet comprising inducing means, attracting means fixed in position relative to the inducing means, and a member of non-magnetic conducting material held to the attracting means by axially attracting and laterally centering forces caused by interaction of fluxes of alternating currents flowing in the attracting means and of currents circulated with said member by induction. The present invention does not claim any component or object being held to an attracting means. Throughout the description, Lovell refers to the ‘attractor’ and to the ‘attracted mass’ as components of the invention. The present invention does not claim or describe an ‘attractor’ or an ‘attracted mass’ as components of the invention.
Baker et al. describe “The permanent type magnet having windings is disposed adjacent to a balance beam which is movable in response to changes in the strength of the permanent magnetic having windings. The present invention does not describe a permanent type magnet having windings that is disposed adjacent to a balance beam which is movable in response to changes in the strength of the permanent magnetic having windings. The present invention describes an electromagnet positioned to elevate and manipulate an object. The experiment described in the present invention includes a rectangular shaped enclosure used to reduce elevated object flipping and keeps the elevated object above the elevating electromagnet. Baker et al. describe “a principal object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for activating process control or other elements”. The present invention does not describe a method and apparatus for activating process control or other elements. Baker et al. describe “FIG. 1 shows, in diagrammatical form, an assembly which converts a magnetic force to pneumatic output . . . ”. The present invention does not describe an assembly which converts a magnetic force to pneumatic output.
Metz, et al., claim “A lifting electromagnet, comprising a plurality of cores defining poles arranged to attract and support at least predominantly ferromagnetic objects . . . ”. The present invention claims an electromagnet positioned to elevate objects using electromagnetic repulsion. Metz et al. also claim a sensor, which is disposed between two poles, used to position the lifted and transported object. The present invention does not claim a sensor used to position the elevated object. Metz et al. describe a single or composite lifting electromagnet with several cores whose poles can attract round, elongated or otherwise configured ferromagnetic objects. The present invention describes a lifting electromagnet whose pole elevates objects through electromagnetic repulsion. Metz et al. describes sensors that generate signals that lead to the facilitation of automatic guidance of the electromagnet. The guidance of the elevated object in the present invention includes the light-weight ring attached to the bottom of the elevated object and the exterior width of the elevated object and its proximity to the inside walls of the rectangular shaped enclosure and the glass tube. Unlike the present invention, Metz et al. also describe the position to which the object is to be lifted and transported to as the treating station of a machine tool.
Dolgin claims “A system for levitation which depends upon the Meissner effect and for vibration damping of a cryogenic instrument inside a cold chamber . . . ”. The present invention does not claim a system for levitation which depends upon the Meissner effect and for vibration damping of a cryogenic instrument inside a cold chamber. The present invention claims a system for elevating and manipulating objects which depends upon the repulsive forces between the lower positioned electromagnet and the elevated object. Dolgin describes “ . . . a pick-up coil 14 which senses any motion of the flux source 13.” Considering FIG. 1, the immediately preceding sentence indicates the vertical, especially vertical and upward motion of the flux source 13 towards the superconductor material position (with a ‘stationary’ pick-up coil 14) is therefore attracted in an upward motion towards the superconductor material 10. The present invention describes vertical repulsion of an object movement away from a base or lower located electromagnet.
The patents described above do not address the use a rectangular-shaped enclosure involving primarily vertical and horizontal electromagnetic fields only to directly elevate and manipulate objects (i.e. without converting laser or electromagnetic energy into fueled propulsive energy). To overcome these shortcomings, the present invention provides a mode of elevating and manipulating objects involving a dimension specific rectangular-shaped apparatus for dimension specific vertical electromagnetic object repulsion and a specific enclosure dimension-specific device for such a specific enclosure apparatus.